Busted: L.A.’s Worst Speed Trap is in Studio City

Studio City is a lovely little L.A. neighborhood, chock full of families and restaurants, and a stone’s throw from Hollywood. It’s also the speeding ticket capital of L.A..

A whopping 750 drivers were nailed in Studio City over six months in 2014, specifically at the corner of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Canton Drive, just south of Ventura Boulevard. This leafy, quiet spot—utilized by many going between the Valley and West Hollywood—features a downward slope where it’s easy to find yourself going faster than the 35 m.p.h. speed limit (conversely, some drivers going the other direction accelerate too much to climb the grade).

The Valley in general is a speeding ticket hotspot for the LAPD, according to information analyzed by NBC4LA. The top five most ticketed intersections in the city were in the Valley, though Laurel Canyon had more than twice as many as the second-most popular spot—the corner of Sunland and Johanna. The bottom five included intersections on the periphery of downtown, and two in Baldwin Hills.

Speeding tickets now start at $250 and can go as high as $500. On top of that are legal fees, insurance increases, and traffic school for some. Next time you’re stuck in traffic, remember it could be worse (see below).